


Shattered Glass

by writingfromtheshadows



Series: Prompt Fills [20]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Demon Sebastian Michaelis, Gen, Halloween, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-04 04:18:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16339664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingfromtheshadows/pseuds/writingfromtheshadows
Summary: After hosting a party the night of All Hallows' Eve, Ciel finds himself struck with curiosity regarding the truth of the holiday and the souls that Sebastian devoured before him.





	Shattered Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Happy (belated) Birthday, Kay!!! I hope you enjoy this and thank you for your support!
> 
> Written in response to the following prompt:
> 
> After a Halloween party at his manor, Ciel and Sebastian talk about Halloween and demons. Ciel asks Sebastian about previous contracts. Demon Sebastian, and Ciel being unafraid. Maybe a softer moment between them. Spooky atmosphere. 

> 
> This is my first time writing these characters and for Kuroshitsuji so hopefully I did the prompt some bit of justice!

It was well near midnight by the time the last guest left the manor. From his place on the top step, watching the carriage drive away from the estate, Ciel just barely managed to stifle a sigh.

He was exhausted, hosting these gatherings was exhausting. The only real saving grace about this one was that no one had gotten murdered over the course of the evening, a relatively drastic improvement from the last time he hosted an event at the manor.

Tilting his head back, Ciel let his eyes flutter shut, drinking in the relative peace and calm of the autumn night. A slight breeze ruffled through his locks and sent a shiver down his back: winter would be coming soon, he supposed there were preparations to be made for that, not that they were preparations he had to make himself.

That job belonged to the silent presence at his back. No matter how much Ciel tried to ignore it or put it from his mind, there was something that made it impossible to lose track of Sebastian when they were in the same room.

Perhaps it was a feature of the contract, the connection making sure Ciel never forgot what he had promised the demon in return for its services.

As if sensing that Ciel’s thoughts had turned to him, Sebastian took a small step forward so that he was standing beside the boy. “Will you be retiring for the evening, young master?”

Blinking his eyes back open, Ciel tilted his head slightly so he could make out Sebastian’s blank expression, ignoring the thrum of irritation that shot through him at the fact that Sebastian chose to stand on his right side, the one covered by a blindfold. Having the demon hovering in his blind spot made Ciel’s skin crawl, even if he would never admit as much.

Not for the first time, he wondered if Sebastian could read his thoughts.

There wasn’t any answer to be clearly found in blood-red eyes and Ciel certainly wasn’t going to ask.

Turning on his heel, he called over his shoulder, “I have a few things I still need to get done so I’ll be in my study.”

The unspoken command— _bring me something to eat and some tea_ —hung in the air between them as Ciel strode inside. He barely paid enough attention to Sebastian’s response to hear the low hum of “yes, my lord” as the door swung shut behind him.

It was almost completely silent inside the manor, only the click of Ciel’s heels on the floor punctured the stillness of the night and, in a way, he supposed it was only fitting given what night it was. If it weren’t for how isolated the estate was, Ciel would be able to hear the traditional noises that accompany All Hallows’ Eve. The peace and quiet would be disturbed by visits from children as they went door-to-door, collecting cakes for the dead, and by the distant sounds of the pageants that commoners were so fond of as they played out the _danse macabre_. The only traditional noise of the evening Ciel was able to hear this far away from civilization were the regular chimes of the church bell just ten minutes’ carriage ride away from the manor, striking every half-hour.

Pausing inside the dining room, he swept his gaze over the remaining decorations that would no doubt be vanished from sight as soon as the sun rose, a wry smile on his lips.

In a way, the gathering had been toeing the line of blasphemy and Ciel had found no shortage of amusement in watching how the respectable church-going guests were uncomfortable surrounded the pagan imagery that littered the gathering.

His gaze lingered on a table that had played host to a fortune-teller, the mirror provided for her ‘scrying’ still sitting out on the black cloth. Near the far end of the room was a barrel of water, apples still bobbing on its surface, and toward the back sat a dying fire pit that had played home to a bonfire (and Ciel had no desire to know how it got inside his manor or what the demon planned to do with it). If his memory served correctly, a large bonfire was often a staple of Samhain, meant to keep away the devil.

How ironic.

Really, he should have anticipated that putting a demon in charge of the decorations would result in something much more reminiscent of the holidays celebrated by pagans, but Ciel wasn’t a religious man so he found no harm in poking fun at the hallowed night meant for the remembrance of the saints.

It was still almost silent in the manor. Now, all Ciel could make out was the faint popping of dying embers in the fire pit and the soft crackles of the candle wicks burning at various stations around the room. There was nothing to indicate he was no longer alone other than the feeling that settled deep in his gut, that he had grown quite used since forging the contract.

“Tell me, Sebastian, do you truly not know the difference between All Hallows’ Eve and Samhain, are you fundamentally opposed to the celebration of religious holy days, or was this a form of amusement for you?” Ciel already knew the answer, at least, he suspected he did, but this was the best way to make sure he stayed on his toes around the demon. It was important to know what was running through Sebastian’s mind as often as possible.

“I’m afraid none of the above influenced my choice in decor for this evening,” when Sebastian replied, his voice came from somewhere to Ciel’s left—the opposite direction of the manor’s entrance. “As a butler, my duty is to meet your needs, whatever they are. I merely assumed that this would amuse you more than any of the traditional All Hallows’ Eve necessities.”

Somehow the answer annoyed him. Refusing to let his irritation show, Ciel asked, “Well, which one is right?”

“My lord?”

“All Hallows’ or Samhain, which festival is the most accurate?”

“At their core, both are about the souls of the dead passing through this world. In that respect, both festivals are equally inaccurate.”

Ciel finally turned from his study of the room, his uncovered eye falling on a patch of shadows deeper than the rest. Even if he couldn’t see Sebastian, he knew that was where the demon was (not that he could quantify _how_ he knew that). “No souls pass through this world? That seems unlikely.”

“You misunderstand, young master. Souls pass through this world regularly, though never in mass exodus like described by both human festivals, the reapers would never allow such a thing.” At the mention of the reapers, Ciel sneered: after the interactions he had endured with those particular entities it made sense that he would inherit his butler’s aversion to them. “However, the principle behind this misconception is surprisingly accurate.”

“The principle?”

Red flashed from the shadows, glowing just briefly before Sebastian seemed to tighten his control over his human guise as he answered, “That the barrier between this world and the Otherworld is remarkably flimsy during this particular night of the year. While the souls of the dead may not be passing through, plenty of other beings can, and do so.”

At that, Ciel frowned, “I was under the impression that demons needed no assistance entering this world. You did it just fine.”

“I was summoned, and not all demons are quite as powerful as myself. Some need the assistance.”

The response pulled a snort from Ciel. “Of course, you’re such an all-powerful demon that you ended up tied to a child.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, young master, I have a policy of only accepting contracts with those whose souls have something unique to offer me and my brethren have made it quite clear that they would be willing to take my place to fulfill our contract.” In the darkness, Ciel could just make out a flash of white: Sebastian’s teeth baring in a predator’s grin. “The strength of a summoning has nothing to do with the age of the contractor so much as their desperation and you were well and truly desperate.”

Scowling, Ciel glanced away from his shadow-hidden butler, aware that Sebastian was prodding him, searching for any hint of weakness. Gritting his teeth, Ciel didn’t move, didn’t speak, as he was bombarded with memories of that night, of how helpless and terrified he had been, how thoroughly his faith in a divine power had been shattered, how desperate he had been for the power to strike back. If the strength of the emotions he had felt back then was directly mirrored by how powerful Sebastian was…

His gaze flicked back to the shadows thoughtfully. He had always known Sebastian was strong, it was why he could be confident in the outcome of any fight they faced, but perhaps he was still underestimating the extent of Sebastian’s abilities.

Continuing on his way, Ciel strode past where Sebastian stood without another glance in his direction. “Don’t keep me waiting, I want to finish this work quickly.”

As ever, Sebastian’s response echoed down the corridor behind him but tonight it seemed different, the three-word response slithering in the air to latch onto Ciel, to worm its way into his skull. Tonight it seemed less like the expected reply from a butler respecting his master and more like an adult humoring a spoiled child for nothing more than their own amusement.

It made his scowl return briefly. Sebastian liked to mock him when given the chance, and no amount of scolding would ever deter that habit. That left Ciel with no other choice but to ignore it, refusing to provide the reaction that the demon was prodding for. He would already become Sebastian’s meal one day, there was no reason for him to give anything more than that.

The fire was already crackling inside his office when he arrived, no doubt stoked to life by Sebastian sometime between when Ciel left him outside and when they met in the dining room.

Settling into his seat behind the desk, Ciel considered the documents left on the wooden surface from when he had been dragged away from making progress to prepare for the blasted party. If it weren’t for the event, he would have been long done with his work by now. Riffling through the pages, he briefly considered leaving them for the next day before dismissing such an idea. He never knew when he would be called on by the queen and it was best to keep his work from getting piled up in such circumstances. If he got called away tomorrow morning there would be too much left undone because he had put the matters on hold.

With a soft sigh, he got to work, reading through reports and making notes, comparing data to track sales and expenses and making adjustments as necessary.

But, even as he worked, he wasn’t quite able to block out the memory of Sebastian’s words.

A policy of only accepting contracts with people whose souls are unique in some way? It wasn’t the first time Sebastian had referenced such a particular appetite, but the last time it had been mentioned in passing Ciel hadn’t thought much of it. Now, the back of his mind worked in overdrive, picking apart the meaning behind the revelation.

What was it, exactly, that made his soul so enticing? If it didn’t have that quality, would he have died that night? Would he have summoned a lesser demon? Would he have even wanted to form a contract with a demon if it weren’t for the ugly coil in his chest that needed revenge to be appeased?

Such questions had never mattered to him before. After all, the contract was already in place and there was nothing to be done to get rid of it. What ifs were pointless when there was nothing he could do to change the past.

The fact that there were other demons out there interested in his soul was also not new information for Ciel but there was something about the night that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he stared out the windows into the pitch black night, wondering if any such demons were out there now, watching him. And, if they were, would Sebastian even say a word about their existence without being asked?

As much as Ciel knew about demons, there was still so much he didn’t know and couldn’t learn without asking for assistance. He never did; after enduring Sebastian’s tutoring the prospect of re-inviting such routine into his life was an unpleasant one to entertain, and he had the sneaking suspicion that such a request would be met with ardent amusement from the demon.

And if Sebastian was so powerful that he could walk between the worlds without assistance from the weakened barriers that characterized nights like this one, just who exactly was he?

The door to his office opened, silent on well-oiled hinges, as Sebastian pushed in a tray of tea and snacks. Meeting his gaze, Ciel watched Sebastian cross the distance between them, drumming his fingers on his desk in thought. If he was going to be distracted by his earlier conversation with the demon then perhaps it would be better to get the rest of his questions out of the way so he could concentrate properly.

“Is there something on your mind, young master?” Sebastian asked as he came to a stop beside Ciel’s desk.

“Idle curiosity,” Ciel lied easily, watching as the tea was poured.

“How rare for you.”

Glaring at Sebastian’s profile as the butler turned to pick up the plate of snacks, Ciel took a moment to rein in his temper to avoid rising to Sebastian’s verbal bait. When he spoke, his voice was markedly even, “I found myself curious about your previous contracts. It strikes me as an odd statement to claim you only devour those souls with something unique to offer. Wouldn’t each soul be as unique as the individual it came from?”

Sebastian glanced up at him, eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Ciel’s face. For his part, Ciel took a sip of the tea, keeping his expression carefully neutral. If Sebastian knew just how curious he was, it would be impossible to get answers out of the demon that weren’t thinly veiled taunts.

It was hard to say if Sebastian found what he was looking for in Ciel’s expression, but he placed the plate down gently as he replied, “Each soul is relatively unique, though not so much as you seem to believe. There are many things humans have in common with each other and given how many are born across the globe it is naive to truly believe in the complete uniqueness of each individual. My words referred to what the souls provide me, one might call it an extra flavor or change in spices, something almost…gourmet in nature.”

Red eyes flashed with the last word. Earlier in their contract, it would have made Ciel uneasy, to see the slip in Sebastian’s disguise; now, he merely studied the butler over top of his cup, putting on a bored air.

“So, what creates this flavor? Trauma? Many people have that. Hatred is even more common. Desperation is easy to come by as well.”

“A combination of several of those factors; it is difficult to explain to one who cannot see souls.”

Putting his cup down, Ciel turned, leaning toward Sebastian, a cold smile curling on his lips. “Well, demon, this is the perfect opportunity for you to describe what my soul looks like. Spare no details.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed again, this time more drastically as he tilted his head, scanning Ciel from head-to-toe once more. “May I ask what brought up this curiosity of yours, my lord?”

“Does it matter? Just tell me.”

In the distance, the sound of church bells floated through the silence of the night. The chimes even and unhurried, marking the stroke of midnight as they attempted to bolster remembrance for the dead. There was a haunting timbre to their sound as it carried into Ciel’s office, rolling over the odd tension between him and Sebastian.

Straightening to his full height, Sebastian looked at Ciel through half-lidded eyes as he answered, his voice no louder than a whisper, “It looks like a window pane shattered into small fragments but not yet collapsed from its frame, just one wrong push away from breaking completely but still able to maintain its shape. Surviving but extremely fragile all at once.”

It was a strong image and Ciel felt something bitter in his mouth as he pictured it. By the logic implicit in the window Sebastian described, it meant his soul was beyond repair. While Ciel had long ago given up any delusion of being ‘saved’ or ‘redeemed’ and left any interest in such matters behind that night, it was still unpleasant to be faced with the fact so bluntly.

Refusing to dwell on the matter, he pressed forward with his questions, “And is that what they looked like too? Your other contracts?”

“No.”

“Tell me.”

“As much as I would relish the trip down memory lane, I’m afraid such a fixation would be ill-advised.”

Ciel propped his head on his fist, exuding the appearance of being completely unimpressed with practiced ease. “Why? Because it makes it more difficult for you to maintain this human facade of yours? I don’t care, start talking.”

With only a second more of hesitation, Sebastian did as he was told. He spoke of previous contracts, starting with the most recent, a middle-aged woman who was frequently manipulated by men of power, her beautiful appearance drawing attention from all over, making her victim to the type of people Ciel made a living out of destroying.

Her soul, according to the demon, was like a flower in a vase, just the tips of its vibrant petals starting to lose their color. It was a demonstration of how close to death the plant was, proof that no matter how carefully looked after it would be from that point on, there was nothing certain but the eventuality of its death after having been pulled away from its natural environment.

Their contract ended after she carved out a place of safety, a sanctuary for others like her disguised as a convent. Her soul was devoured the day after the doors officially opened.

Sebastian told him about the last time he was contracted with a child, another boy not much older than Ciel who had been abused by his family and was desperate to lash out not just at his own parents but at any adults guilty of the same. What followed was a misguided search for justice as the boy ordered Sebastian to kill adults he assumed to be abusers without any hard evidence. Half the time, his assumptions were proved wrong well after Sebastian carried out the orders.

Eventually, the weight of the wrongful deaths caught up to the boy and he proved too traumatized to continue the search for his goal. His soul was devoured before his sixteenth birthday.

His soul, Sebastian reminisced—eyes now a glowing fuchsia in the growing darkness of the study, fangs glinting as he smiled darkly—was like a butterfly caught in a glass. It frantically flapped its wings, ramming against the barrier of the cup, desperately trying to get to freedom but doomed to slowly suffocate for the amusement of another.

The stories kept coming, seemingly intent on continuing until Ciel called a halt. With each contract remembered, more of Sebastian’s true form slipped out, the mask of humanity splintering to reveal a creature completely indifferent to the suffering of those who he contracted with, who reveled in their pain because that was what made their souls so delicious.

Ciel listened to each story without comment, absorbing the details without flinching, watching Sebastian melt away to reveal the demon Ciel had anchored himself to without a second thought.

It should be terrifying, he supposed, to be regaled with the tragic ends of everyone who had ever contracted Sebastian with the understanding that he was only listening to his own future. One day, the same would happen to him, he would be another story for Sebastian to tell whatever person summoned him next.

But he had accepted his fate, and Ciel couldn’t find it in him to be scared, not even on a night when demons evidently walked free, hunting for the weak.

He didn’t know how many stories passed before he interrupted, “You search for doomed souls, but doomed souls that are still fighting back, those that continue struggling despite the futility.”

A shadow towered over him now, the tips of blank wings peeking out from the inky darkness, fuchsia glowing down at him, unblinking. The smooth cadence of Sebastian’s voice still remained though, curling around Ciel as if trying to entice him into the contract all over again.

“If that was what I searched for, would it make you less confident in your goal?”

“You think that because you’re telling me my soul was doomed before we even forged a contract that it will destroy my confidence?” Ciel mused, quirking an eyebrow, “You know I despise stupid questions, Sebastian. I already knew I was damned before I spoke a word to you, that doesn’t change the fact that I will have my revenge.”

The shadow shifted as Sebastian leaned down, his grin malicious, fangs stark in the darkness as black tipped claws reached out to brush over the fabric of Ciel’s eye patch. “It is a relief to hear you say that. It is never pleasant to be disappointed by the resolve of your master.”

Ciel smirked, “It would take more than your horror stories to shake my resolve.”

A thoughtful hum left the demon and, in the blink of an eye, he was back to his butler guise, a twin smirk curling onto his own lips. “For what it is worth, you are the first human I contracted that would leave me surprised if you did not achieve your goal. I have never met a human as delightfully devilish as yourself.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Ciel asked, turning his attention back to his work at last, his curiosity sated, for now.

“Take from it what you will, young master. Will you be requiring any other services or shall I go handle my other duties?”

“Go,” Ciel replied without glancing up. “The only remnant of All Hallows’ or Samhain or whatever festival is celebrated on this night that I want to see when the sun comes up is your presence.”

Even without looking, he could tell Sebastian swept a bow, amusement still coloring his voice from their conversation. If it weren’t for who he was, what their dynamic was, Ciel would dare to call the tone of Sebastian’s voice ‘fond’ as he said, “Yes, my lord.”


End file.
